Kenilworth, Illinois
In a village of 2,500 people with a single PK-8 school, every family knows every teacher. Joseph Sears School does a lot well. But when your child's sensory needs spill past what the school day can handle, finding the right private therapist becomes its own challenge. There is no pediatric OT clinic in Kenilworth. The nearest large practice is a cookie-cutter chain. Laura O'Brien, OTR/L offers something different: individualized, parent-coached OT designed around your child's specific needs, available by Zoom or at her Des Plaines sensory gym about 20 minutes away.
Your therapist
Laura O'Brien, OTR/L, has spent more than thirty years working with families on the North Shore. She has seen what happens when parents are told their child will "grow out of it" and nothing changes. She has also seen what happens when a parent learns one specific strategy and everything shifts at home that same week. That is the kind of difference she works toward in every session.
Kenilworth families often arrive after hearing from other parents in the village that Laura does things differently. She does not take your child into a back room for 45 minutes while you wait. You are in the room the entire time, learning what to do and why it works.
Last reviewed: April 2026
What parents say
These are not behavior problems. They can be signs of sensory processing, motor planning, or self-regulation challenges that respond well to the right kind of support.
Understanding your options
SD 38 serves about 480 students at Joseph Sears School. Related services, including OT, are coordinated through TrueNorth Educational Cooperative. School OT targets handwriting, scissors skills, and classroom participation. Roughly one in five students in the district has a diagnosis or disability, and the district has recently authorized an independent review of its special education programming.
Getting dressed without a meltdown. Tolerating a birthday party. Sleeping through the night. Playing sports with neighborhood friends. Sitting through dinner at a restaurant. School OT addresses educational goals only. When those goals are met, services stop. The daily-life challenges that exhaust your family at home remain outside the school's scope.
That is the gap private OT fills. Laura works on the skills that matter at home and in the Kenilworth community. Many families use both school and private OT at the same time because the goals are completely different.
In-person and Zoom
Laura walks you through activities in real time using items from your own home. Your child works on hand strength with Play-Doh while you learn why certain textures cause a meltdown. Telehealth is practical for Kenilworth families who want expert guidance without driving to a clinic. Laura mails you specific materials ahead of time so sessions start ready.
About 20 minutes from Kenilworth. Your child swings, climbs, and moves through obstacle courses that build body awareness and coordination. You are in the room the entire time, watching what works and learning how to recreate it at home. The gym has equipment that most homes and schools do not have, including suspended swings, crash pads, and climbing structures.
Either way, you leave every session knowing exactly what to do between appointments.
Parent strategies
Before homework: Have your child carry a stack of heavy books from one room to another, three or four trips. This kind of heavy work sends calming input through the joints and muscles. Try it right before sitting down to work. If your child sits longer or complains less, that is a sign their body needed that input to settle.
Clothing battles: Turn socks inside out so the seams sit on the outside. Let your child feel two shirt options the night before and choose one. Removing the surprise and the time pressure in the morning can reduce sensory-driven refusals. If your child consistently rejects certain textures, that pattern is worth noting for an OT evaluation.
Common questions
School OT through SD 38 targets skills that affect classroom participation. If your child struggles with dressing, haircuts, mealtime, or sensory overload outside of school, private OT addresses those areas. Many Kenilworth families use both because the goals are different.
Yes. Telehealth works well for many Kenilworth families. Laura mails specific materials to your home and guides you through activities in real time. Some families do Zoom weekly and visit the Des Plaines sensory gym once a month for equipment-based work. The drive is about 20 minutes.
Trust what you see at home. If daily tasks feel harder than they should, if your child avoids the playground or melts down over clothing textures, or if sensory issues disrupt family routines, an evaluation can help clarify what is going on. You do not need a referral from the school to start.
Getting started
Start with a free screening form so Laura can understand your child's needs. Many Kenilworth families come to her after school OT ends or after the IEP review leaves questions unanswered. Call with questions about how private OT works alongside your child's school program.